Letter: U.S. foreign policy and the immigration crisis

I was watching Face The Nation this morning and it was good to hear Republicans and Democrats agree that both sides have failed over many years, that we need to tackle immigration policy and that there are points where they can come together and get things done. That's great to hear. But one question that never gets addressed is, "Why are so many people streaming to our southern border?"

It's not just that The United States is a land of freedom and opportunity. It's also that people are coming from a place that is NOT a land of freedom and opportunity. The U.S. and our foreign policy has a lot to do with that. For decades, the U.S. has backed autocratic and corrupt governments in Latin America that restrict human rights, political freedoms, and land ownership because it was in our "best interest."

I believe citizens of countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua would stay in their countries if they felt they could speak out without fear of being killed, like Berta Caceres. I believe the best way to stop people from rushing to our southern border is to finally do the right thing and push for governments in Latin America that represent their people, not what is "best" for the U.S. Pushing for democracy and human rights is what is best for the U.S. and Latin America.

Oddly, this never comes up when talking about the immigration crisis. We need to take responsibility for our policy, acknowledge that we have done some really bad things, and change. If we back regimes that oppress their citizens, how can we blame those citizens for wanting to cross the border?

Scott Frillman

Antioch